Edgardo Alfonzo will manage the Brooklyn Cyclones

Despite a disappointing and unfulfilling season, manager Tom Gamboa stayed true to his word and hung up his cleats, making 2015 his last season as skipper of the Cyclones. In a move that seemed years in the making, the Cyclones announced that Edgardo Alfonzo will be filling the void left by Gamboa’s retirement. Alfonzo initially joined the team in 2014, acting as a roving instructor and first base coach, and has served as Gamboa’s bench coach since 2015.

Flanking Alfonzo in his managerial debut will be Royce Ring and Sean Ratliff. Ring will be replacing Billy Bryk Jr., who served as team pitching coach in 2015. The former big league reliever served as pitching coach for the GCL Mets in 2014 and 2015 before being promoted to the Kingsport Mets in 2016. Sean Ratliff will be the only coach returning from the 2016 club, serving for a second season as hitting coach. In his first season in the role with Brooklyn, the team hit a collective .216, the lowest mark in all of minor league baseball.

The Brooklyn Cyclones will open their 2017 season on Monday, June 19 against Staten Island, who will be known as the Yankees for at least one more season, as their rebranding campaign has been halted for the time being.